Coaching Staff

Jesse Zafiratos | Head Coach

Jesse Zafiratos recently completed his first season as head coach of the Penn State Brandywine soccer team in 2016.

Zafiratos’ first season was a memorable one as he directed Brandywine to one of the finest seasons in school history. Brandywine captured the PSUAC Championship and advanced to the USCAA Tournament for the third time, finishing the year with a 15-3-1 record. Seven players were named all-conference, including First Team All-American and PSUAC Player of the Year Bill Wallekendeh, who led all collegiate levels of men’s soccer with 44 goals. As a team, Brandywine scored a program record 92 goals, which was good for fourth in the country.

Zafiratos joined the Brandywine coaching staff after spending one season as the head soccer coach at Valley Forge Military College. At VFMC, Zafiratos was responsible for all aspects of running the team, including recruiting, on- and off-field coaching and scheduling, while also serving as the college's equipment and facilities manager.

Prior to being appointed head coach at Valley Forge, Zafiratos spent four seasons as an assistant men's soccer coach and recruiter at Widener University. With the Pride, Zafiratos helped the team increase its win total each season, culminating in a berth in the ECAC South Region Tournament semifinals in 2014.

Zafiratos also has five years of head coaching experience with the West Chester United Soccer Club where he has guided his squads to numerous tournament and Delco Soccer League championships.

A native of Delaware County, Zafiratos is the all-time leading goal scorer and was a three-time all-Del-Val performer at Interboro High School. After beginning his collegiate career at Kutztown University, Zafiratos transferred to NCAA Division III La Roche College in Pittsburgh where he was a three-year starter and team captain. He graduated in 2006 with a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education.

Along with his coaching duties at Brandywine, Zafiratos works full time within the Lower Merion Soccer Club. There he coaches the elite U-17 boys, and U-17 girls and assists the U-15 boys. He is also involved with the boys and girls development academy.

Zafiratos holds a USSF “C” Coaching license, and has worked numerous college camps around the region at Pittsburgh, Slippery Rock, Temple, Widener, and Gettysburg, among others.